“I’d like to know where Lou Holtz is now,” Ryan Day famously asked after Ohio State beat Notre Dame last September.
If he were to ask that question now, the answer would be “hosting a podcast.”
Taking to social media on Wednesday, the Hall of Fame head coach announced that he’s launching The Lou Holtz Show. Despite the show being produced by the Donald Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute think tank — which Holtz serves as the Chair of the Center for 1776 for — the 87-year-old former Notre Dame coach insists that his show won’t be political.
Today, I am announcing the launch of my podcast, The Lou Holtz Show.
There is no one more passionate about restoring the culture of this country than me. pic.twitter.com/2TN7fJssTt
— Lou Holtz (@CoachLouHoltz88) March 13, 2024
“The purpose of the podcast is not to promote Republicans, Democrats, White, Black,” Holtz said in a statement. “It’s just to get people to make good choices. We need to get back to teaching young people about obligation, and how to help other people, how to make good choices, and understand that wherever you are in life, it is because of the choices you make.”
The first episode of The Lou Holtz Show will launch on Thursday, March 14, and will feature an interview with Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl. New episodes will be released every other week, with former Notre Dame star and Hall of Fame wide receiver Tim Brown, U.S. Senator and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville, three-time national champion football coach Urban Meyer and LIV golfer Ian Poulter having already been announced as future guests.
Obviously, it will be interesting to see how apolitical Holtz’s show actually is and whether it remains that way. In addition to Holtz being an outspoken supporter of Trump’s who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the 45th president, the podcast is being produced by a non-profit aimed at promoting Trump’s public policy agenda and has already announced at least one Republican senator as a guest.
The timing of the podcast’s launch is also notable, as Trump’s campaign for the 2024 election kicks into gear. The tagline for the podcast, “coaching America back to greatness” could also be perceived as a homage to “make America great again.”
Holtz’s podcast may very well be apolitical. But it’s impossible not to notice its apparent ties to the Trump campaign.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.